Tipping the Scales
by Lady Dragon
Summary: It was like a scene taken straight from the best romance movie ever. It was completely ruined in the next instant when she demanded he get his lazy butt in gear already and beat his opponent down. A Shunsui, Lisa and Nanao fic.


Disclaimer: I am most saddened to admit that I do not own _Bleach_, Kudo Tite does. I'm just having a little fun with some of his characters.

Warning: Major SPOILERS AHEAD for those who have not read part 7 (chapter -102) of the Pendulum Arc.

Author's Comments: After reading the latest chapter in the Pendulum arc I couldn't help but to wonder what Lisa and Shunsui's reunion might be like. I imagine he's got to be carrying a lot of guilt over volunteering Lisa to head off in Tessai's place, and subsequently, sealing her fate. Thinking about their reunion got me to thinking about Lisa's reaction to her successor and then this was born.

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**Tipping the Scales**  
by Lady Dragon

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The arrancar was heading straight towards her unguarded back, arm extended and hand glowing with a sinister bara and there was nothing he could do about it. His own opponent, a sleepy-eyed Espada, was not letting up in his vicious attacks. It was all Shunsui could do parry the deceptively fast and powerful blows raining down on him from his opponent. This alone was enough to sting his pride, the fact that said Espada looked downright bored and kept complaining about how he'd rather be taking a nap was akin to pouring salt in an open wound.

Shunsui allowed his eyes to stray briefly towards Nanao's tired and battered form for a moment and was relieved to see that she had managed to dodge her opponent's attack at the last minute. His relief was short lived however when he noticed she hadn't escaped completely unscathed. Initially, Nanao had proven to be more than a match for her opponent; a short female arrancar with mismatched eyes. As soon as it had become apparent that his Nanao would come out on top, two others had joined the fray. Now, it was all his Nanao could do to avoid a killing blow. It was no longer possible for her to dodge their combined attacks entirely. He had to finish this fight now and get to her side. As capable as his Vice-Captain was, she was completely overwhelmed. Around them, Captains and Vice-Captains were going toe to toe with Aizen's remaining Espada and arrancar. They had thought the strength of five Captains and their Vice-Captains would be enough but it was apparent that it was barely enough to keep them afloat. At this moment anything could tip the scales for them or against. Shunsui hoped to see the scales tip in their favor, a hope that was fast fading as even Yama-ji felt the need to call out his bankai.

It happened then, just as he managed to break through his opponent's defenses to land a fatal blow, he heard the sound of someone's zanpakutou shattering. He didn't need to turn to know it was his Nanao's but still he turned, a part of him begging his eyes to prove false what his heart already knew. Nanao was doubled over, hand clutching furtively at the wound that ran diagonally from her right shoulder to her waist in an attempt to stem the blood flow. Her right hand tightened briefly around the hilt of her zanpakutou before it slipped from her hand to fall uselessly to ground amidst the shattered remnants of her sword's blade.

Her opponent tossed back her head and laughed, a waterfall of dark curls spilling down her back as she stood victoriously above her defeated prey. It made his blood boil. Before his mind could process what he was doing, Shunsui was in motion, his twin blades carving a path towards his fallen subordinate. _Her reiatsu is dropping fast. _His mind screamed at him to move faster, and just as he knew his shuunpo had improved by leaps and bounds over the decades, he knew he was too late.

The Amazon-like arrancar's sword was coming down. Nanao's face was upturned; gaze calmly fixed upon her hastening death. He was moving at a speed too fast to follow with the eye yet somehow the Espada he had been fighting moments ago was once again in front of him, delaying him.

And then he felt it. Both he and his opponent had a second to register the approach of another before it happened. The scales tipped.

Where once stood three vicious female arrancar and his wounded Nanao-chan now all that remained was a single terrified arrancar covered in the remains of her comrades. A second latter her head was dispatched, her body falling to mingle with the gore of her brethren.

For a moment the battlefield fell away and all Shunsui could do was stare at the breathtaking sight of his Nanao-chan held in the protective embrace of the woman whose life had been so drastically altered by his thoughtless actions. Nanao's eyes fluttered open briefly to gaze in wonder at the face of her rescuer, her sharp mind, no doubt, racing frantically to place a name to the visage that looked so similar to her own and drawing a blank. Her rescuer smirked down at her briefly before turning to lock gazes with him, her smirk softening into what looked suspiciously like a fond smile.

It was like a scene taken straight from the best romance movie ever.

It was completely ruined in the next instant when she demanded he get his lazy ass in gear already and beat his opponent down once and for all while she looked after the "fair maiden" in her arms. To which Nanao let out a startled yelp and turned an alarming shade of red, given her extensive blood loss.

Things were definitely looking up.

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As always, reviews are much appreciated and flames will be happily disregarded.

_Written: May 17th, 2007_


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